Sour dough bread

Day 1

Combine 3 heaping tablespoons of white flour, 1 heaping tablespoon whole wheat flour, the juice of 1/2 a fresh orange, and enough water to make a thick, but stir-able dough (about 1/4-1/3 cup). Beat this mixture together thoroughly, to blend all ingredients and incorporate a bit of air. Cover loosely and place in a warm spot (by the fire, in a sunny summer window, or even in the bathroom with the heater on...)

Day 2, 3, 4 and so on..

Add 3 heaping tablespoons of white flour, 1 heaping tablespoon whole wheat flour, and about 1/4 cup room temp water to the start and beat together thoroughly, to blend all ingredients and incorporate a bit of air. Cover loosely and place, again, in a warm spot (by the fire, in a sunny summer window, or even in the bathroom with the heater on...). Repeat each day there after. You are ready to use the start after 4 days or so, or when the start starts smelling sour and delicious.

Simply use some of the start in your bread recipe and then replenish the start with 3 more tablespoons white flour, 1 heaping tablespoon whole wheat flour, and about 1/4 cup room temp water. Even is you don't use any of the start one day it is still a good idea to feed it with fresh flower and water to keep it well fresh!

Frittata

This particular recipe was inspired by a few things - the fact that it is january, a new year, and time to start over from scratch... and clean out the cupboard and fridge!

Plus, I have a box of potatoes that are begining to start to want to grow and wilt, so that was another encintive. I also have 4 dozen eggs in my fridge (from my wonderful happy chickens!!)

A Tasty Frittata Recipe is what I came up with.

Frittatas are good. They fill your belly, and help use up leftovers in your refrigerator. Plus you can eat them for reakfast, lunch, or dinner; and it's quick.

Frittata Recipe

2 large cloves garlic
1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons lemon juice, freshly squeezed
1 small bunch cilantro
1 chile, seeds removed
2 pinches ground cumin
a couple big pinches of salt
6 large eggs
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
3 small potatoes, very very thinly sliced
1/4 cup goat cheese, crumbled
a couple more pinches of salt

Preheat your oven to 450F degrees. Make a sauce by pureeing the garlic, olive oil, lemon juice, cilantro, chile, cumin, and salt until very smooth. Set aside.
In a medium bowl whisk the eggs with a small pinch of salt. Set aside.
In a 8 1/2-inch cast iron skillet over medium heat add the olive oil, onion, and another pinch of salt. Saute, stirring constantly, until the onion starts to brown, 5 - 7 minutes. Add the potatoes, cover, and cook for another 3 minutes or so. Slide everything out of the skillet onto a plate and set aside.
Turn down the heat a bit. Using the same skillet, add the eggs and cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes or until the eggs are almost just set and there isn't too much liquid running around the pan. Drizzle the eggs with a few tablespoons of the sauce and sprinkle the potato onion mixture over the top.
Place the skillet in the oven and bake for about 9 minutes, or until well set and puffy. Add crumbled goat cheese anover the top of the frittata in the final 2 minutes of baking. Remove from oven cut into wedges and serve!

Pizza Dough

I like making pizza, because it gives me a chance to, one, be creative, but also to clean out my fridge! But the dough is very important too; if you have bad dough you are bouned to have bad pizza!

There is a place around where I live, Giovanni's, that has the best crust to go under thier pizzas; a little sweet, crusty, fluffy, just right.

But this is what I came up with..

Pizza Dough

4 1/2 cups unbleached bread, or all-purpose flour
1 3/4 teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon instant yeast
1/4 cup olive oil
1 3/4 cups water, ice cold

1. Stir together the flour, salt, and instant yeast into the bowl of an electric mixer on low speed, with the paddle attachment. Switch to the dough hook and stir in the oil and the cold water until the flour is all absorbed. Mix on medium speed for 5 to 7 minutes, or as long as it takes to create a smooth, sticky dough. The dough should clear the sides of the bowl. If the dough is too wet and doesn't come off the sides of the bowl, sprinkle in some more flour just until it clears the sides. If it seems too dry, dribble in a teaspoon or two of cold water. The finished dough will be springy, elastic, and sticky, not tacky..
2. Sprinkle flour on the counter and transfer the dough to the counter. Cut the dough into 6 equal pieces (or larger) Make sure your hands are dry and then flour them. Lift each piece and gently round it into a ball.

3. Let the dough stand at room temp (covered) overnight, to rest the dough, or you can through it itn the fridge for up to 3 days. (If you want to save some of the dough for future pizzas, you can store the dough, in balls, in a zippered freezer bag. Dip each dough ball into a bowl that has a few tablespoons of oil in it, rolling the dough in the oil, and then put each ball into a separate bag. You can freeze them for up to 3 months. Transfer them to the refrigerator the day before you plan to make pizza.)
4. On the day you plan to make the pizza, remove the desired number of dough balls from the refrigerator 2 hours before making the pizza. Before letting the dough rest at room temperature for 2 hours, dust the counter with flour. Place the dough balls on top of the floured counter and sprinkle them with flour; dust your hands with flour. Press the dough into flat disks about 1/2 inch thick. Sprinkle the dough with flour, cover, and let rest for 2 hours.
5. At least 45 minutes before making the pizza, place a baking stone on a rack in the lower third of the oven. Heat the oven as hot as possible, 500 to 550.

6. Generously dust a dry pizza board with cornmeal. Make the pizzas one at a time. Very gently lay the dough across your fists and carefully stretch it by bouncing the dough in a circular motion on your hands, carefully giving it a little stretch with each bounce. If it begins to stick to your hands, lay it down on the floured counter and reflour your hands, then continue shaping it. Once the dough has expanded outward, move to a full toss! (I'm trying to get the hang of it) If you have trouble tossing the dough, or if the dough keeps springing back, let it rest for 5 to 20 minutes so the gluten can relax, and try again. You can also resort to using a rolling pin, though this isn't as effective as the toss method.
7. When the dough is stretched out to your satisfaction, lay it on the peel, making sure there is enough cornmeal to allow it to slide. Lightly top it with sauce and then other toppings, including cheese of course.
8. Slide the topped pizza onto the stone and close the door. It should take about 5 to 8 minutes to bake.

9. Remove the pizza from the oven and transfer to a cutting board. Cut and Serve!!